ART

Blue Ridge Arts Center will host an exhibit of selected quilters from South and North Carolina from Sept. 19 through Nov. 13. “Fiber Fantasy” will feature 10 arts quilters. Quilt designs from abstract to realistic will be include in this exciting show, as well as a tribute to Claude Smith, which will showcase some of his wonderful quilts. Opening reception will be held from 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 19 and will coincide with the Seneca Downtown Go ’Round.

The Work of Elizabeth Belser Fuller is an ongoing exhibit. It is a permanent exhibit of watercolors, acrylics and mixed media works by native South Carolina and special friend of the garden, Elizabeth Belser Fuller. The exhibit is located at the Fran Hanson Discovery Center Gallery. The hours of the center are Monday to Saturday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. and Sunday 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.

Continuing monthly at The Market at Keowee Towne — The Blue Ridge Arts Council is providing the finishing touch for the Café by featuring a different artist each month. Purchases of the artwork can be made by contacting the BRAC office at (864) 882-2722.

FAMILY FARE

The South Carolina Botanical Garden Discovery Center and Garden Gift hours of operation are as follows: Fran Hanson Discovery Center and Garden Gift Shop will be open Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. The Campbell Geology Museum will be open Wednesday through Saturday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Sunday 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. Admission is $3 for adults and $2 for children 12 and under. For more information, please call (864) 656-3405, e-mail scbg@clemson.edu or visit www.clemson.edu/scbg.

MUSEUMS

Ashtabula Museum Home is open for guided tours Tuesday through Thursday from 1 to 4 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. Admission is $6 for adults and $2 for children ages 5 to 10. Children under five are free. Ashtabula, an 1820s antebellum plantation home owned by the Pendleton Historic Foundation, is located on Hwy. 88, three miles east of downtown. Individual, group and school tours are also available by appointment. Call (864) 646-7249 or (864) 646-3782.

The Historic Ballenger House is a lovely c.1925 home located in the center of Seneca's historic district. The facility is home to several non-profit clubs and a meeting place for many other community organizations. Fundraisers, art exhibits and educational classes are held here several times a year. The house is a frequent location for weddings, showers and social events. The newly restored carriage house and grounds offer many additional uses for the facility. More information can be found on the Web site www.historicballengerhouse.com For tours or additional information call (864) 654-4043 or e-mail donna@ballengerhouse.com.

Central History Museum & Gardens is open on Sundays from 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. with the garden open from dusk to dawn. The museum admission is $2 for adults and $1 for children. The house museum built in 1893 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places is located at 416 Church Street in Central. It has a railroad model of Central in the ’30s. Volunteers are needed for maintaining the gardens.

Woodburn Museum Home is open for guided tours Sundays from 2 p.m. – 6 p.m. and Monday from 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. Admission is $6 for adults and $2 for children ages five to 10. Children under five are free. Ashtabula, an1830s antebellum plantation home is owned by the Pendleton Historic Foundation and is located on Hwy. 76 across from Tri-County Tech. Individual, group and school tours are also available by appointment. Call (864) 646-7249 or (864) 646-3782.

Biltmore Estate

The Biltmore is open daily from 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. It is located on Highway 25 in Asheville, N.C., just north of I-40 exit 50 or 50 B. For more information call (877) 324-5866.

The Oconee Heritage Center in Walhalla serves as an archive, educational facility and museum of the county’s history. The OHC is open Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from noon – 5 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. and also by special appointment. For more information, call (864) 638-2224 or visit the Web site at www.oconeeheritagecenter.org

Rose Hill Plantation Historic Site is open Thursday through Monday from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. and the mansion is open for tours from 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. It is located on Sardis Road about eight miles south of Union in Union County. For more information, contact the park at (864) 427-5966.

The Lunney House Museum, located at 211 W.S. First St. in Seneca, is open Thursday – Sunday, 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. or by appointment. (864) 882-4811 Admission is Free. This 1909 California-style Arts & Crafts bungalow is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the SC Heritage Corridor. The house contains Oconee county memorabilia, curiosities and a mixture of mission and Victorian furnishings. Curator Jean Anne Cooper (864) 247-9487, 280-0347 or 882-4578.

Pickens County Museum of Art and History will be open Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Thursdays from 9 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For more information, call (864) 898-5963.

Patriots’ Hall: Oconee Veterans’ Museum will be open every Saturday from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. or by appointment by calling Charles Brickett. It is located in the “Old Rock Building” behind the courthouse in Walhalla. If you have something to donate, drop by the museum when it is open or call President Charles Brickett at (864) 944-5112.

Transylvania Heritage Museum, located at 40 West Jordan St. in Brevard, N.C., is open Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Sundays from 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. Admission is free, but donations are appreciated. Visit and experience the heritage of Transylvania County.

THEATRE

The Musical Adventures of Flat Stanley will be at the Brooks Center at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 26. Tickets for the show are $10 for adults and $5 for students. For more information or tickets, visit www.clemson.edu/Brooks or call (864) 656-7787 from 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Auditions for The Clemson Little Theatre’s comedy production of “A Tuna Christmas” will be held at 7 p.m. on Sunday and Monday, Sept. 21 and 22 in Cox Hall, which is located next door to the Pendleton Playhouse. Casting requirements are flexible: two to three actors (men or women) will play eight to 15 characters each; characters’ ages range from childhood to senior citizens; actors should be prepared for cold readings from the script; (Texas accents are encouraged); be prepared to participate in some directed improvisation. Rehearsals will begin as soon as casting is finalized. Production dates are Dec. 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14. For further info, contact Denise Oxford at (864) 226-1030 or denise116@aol.com or contact our Office Manager, Linda Lavold at (864) 646-8100. The Clemson Little Theatre is located at the Pendleton Playhouse, 214 South Mechanic Street, Pendleton.

The Clemson Little Theatre presents the musical “Oliver!” on Sept. 5, 6, 7, 12, 13 and 14. Friday and Saturday curtain time is 8 p.m. Sunday matinees are 3 p.m. Tickets are $15 for adults and $7 for college students (with ID) and youths under 19. For more information or reservations, call (864) 646-8100. The theatre is at the Pendleton Playhouse, 214 Mechanic St., Pendleton.

Oconee Community Theatre presents “Steel Magnolias” Sept. 5, 6, 7, 12, 13 and 14. Evening shows start at 8 p.m. and Sunday matinees start at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $14 for adults and $8 for students and children. Group rates are available for parties of 12 or more. For more information or reservations, call (864) 882-7700.

MISCELLANEOUS

Verizon Wireless Last Chance Summer Dance hosted by radio station B93.7 today, Sept. 5, at Clemson University’s Littlejohn Coliseum.
Pop star Jesse McCartney, We the Kings, Bowling for Soup, Colby O’Donis and Shontelle.
Tickets at Littlejohn Coliseum east gate box office, TicketMaster outlets and online at www.ticketmaster.com. Tickets are $25, $35 and $75, plus fees, and Clemson students and employees will receive a $5 discount on all tickets with a valid Clemson ID. There is a limit of two tickets per Clemson ID. For more info, contact the Littlejohn box office at (864) 656-1413 or tickets@clemson.edu.

SHARE Head Start is currently recruiting and enrolling 3- and 4-year-old children for the 2008-2009 school year in the Oconee County area. SHARE Head Start serves low-income families and children with disabilities at no cost for their services. For more info, call (864) 882-8700 or (864) 226-0367. The center is located on 340 Perkins Creek Road in Seneca.

Oconee County Habitat for Humanity (OCHFH) will hold a special art sale in conjunction with the reopening of its store through Saturday, Sept. 6. These are donated pieces, as are all of Habitat’s items, and are reviewed and evaluated by members of the Blue Ridge Arts Council who generously contribute their time. The sale will take place in the boardroom of the store located at 130 Bountyland Road in Seneca. The entrance is located at the side of the building and will be specially marked. Sale hours are 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. on Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. For further information, call the store at (864) 888-2118.

The Anderson Mid-Day Lions and Anderson Lions Club will host its first annual golf tournament Oct. 8 at the Anderson Country Club. Proceeds from the tournament will be used to support the many charitable projects of the Lions. The clubs are asking for support from individuals and local businesses. Anyone interested in participating can get more information from any Lions member or calling Nancy Smith at (864) 616-6471.

Celebrate the best of the Great White Way when “Neil Berg’s 100 Years of Broadway” is presented at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 16 at the Brooks Center for the Performing Arts at Clemson University. One of the performers is Greenville native and former Miss South Carolina. Kimilee Bryant, who competed in the Miss America competitions in 1990.

The Seneca Woman’s Club will host local quilter and quilt enthusiast Verla Warther as she displays a working quilt frame at 2 p.m. Sept. 19 and 20. She will be dressed in Civil War era attire and will be showing many completed quilts. The Seneca Woman’s Club members will have family antique quilts on display. There is no admission fee. Refreshments will be available.

Seneca Woman’s Club members will provide the food and Palmetto Spirits will provide the wines for the annual Wine Tasting and Raffle from 7 p.m. - 9 p.m. on Nov. 7. This has been a very popular event. Donations are $25 per person. Tickets are available at Palmetto Spirits or call Peggy at (864) 882-3996.

An AARP Driver Safety Program will be held from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Sept. 29 and 30 at SENIOR Solutions, 101 Perry St., Seneca. There will be a $10 fee per person for materials payable by check made to AARP. For registration, call (864) 885-1000.

Liberty Elementary School is looking for volunteers to help with many school events and projects during the 2008-2009 school year. If you are interested in being a part of the heartbeat of the Liberty Elementary School community, please contact volunteer coordinators, Michelle Gunn at (864) 354-8195 or Tracey Kristiansen at (864) 639-3977.